Plant protector



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PLANT PROTECTOR Filed July 3o, 1921 www3-,www 2 Patented May 1, 1923.

L45G ,iltifi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCa.

ALFRED W'III'JBERDING, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

Application filed July 3 To all whom t may Gomera:

Be it known that I, ALFRED lllinnnninns5 a citizen ot the United States,residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida,have invented new and useul Improvements in Plant Protectors, ot whichthe following is a specication.

This invention relates to a collapsible container which is mainlydesigned for protecting plants from frost and the like though it may beused as a pot ior a plant or tor holding other articles or objects.

The general object oi the invention is to torni the device 'from a blankot card-board or similar material and to so out this blank that it canbe folded into a receptacle haw ing tapering' walls with the sidesconnected together by slots and notches.

Another object of the invention is to provide wings at the top oi thereceptacle which act to reenforce the sides and which may Ialso be usedto hold the device over the plant by covering the wings with dirt or thelike or causing them to penetrate the ground.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts. to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, ret erence will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure lis a view of the blank from which the receptacle formed.

Figure 2 is a view sl'iowing` two oit' the sides i connected together.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but looking towards the exteriorot the box.

Figures 5 and 6 are views showing how the box can be used ior protectingplants.

In4 these views the blank A from which the box is formed is cut on thelines l, 2, 3

and 4 to form the 'four flaps 4C. Each flap i921. Serial No. 488,670.

inner flap. A piece is cut from each inner flap at its outer corner toform the edge ll. which will be in alignment with the scored line 5 ofthe overlapping outer flap when the box is in assembled condition. Eachinner ila'p is provided with an arc-shaped slit il?. which extends fromthe scored line 5 to the scored line 9 and adjacent the scored line i)the slit is made practically straight so that this part of the slit willbe at right angles to the scored line 9. A saw-toothed notch i3 is madein the outer end ot each oit the outer flaps so that when the iree outercorner of the outer flap is passed through the slit the straight wall oithis notch will engage the wall of the straight part of the slit so asto lock the inner and outer 'flaps together.

It will thus be seen that the devices can be shipped and stored in iiatcondition so that large quantities can be shipped in comparatively smallpackages. The consumer or purchaser will assemble them and it is onlynecessary for him to place the corners ot the outer flaps in the slitsin the inner flaps and to insure the walls of the notches locking withthe walls of the straight parts ot the slits. This will lock the flapstogether and produce a box, each side wall ot which is oit doublethickness except at one lower corner. As before stated7 this: device isespecially designed for being placed over plants 'for protecting themfrom frost and so forth. The wings can be bent down wardly so that theywill penetrate the dirt and hold the box over the plant or they can bebent at right angles and dirt or stones placed upon them to hold the boxin place.

It will also be apparent that the box can be used as a pot Jfor plantsor it can be used as a container. By folding the wings against theexterior sides they will act to reenlorce the top ot the box and holdthe walls of the notches and slits in engagement.

lhen desired I may provide theV device with ventilators l5 on twoOpposite sides which are formed by cuttingthe flap on three sides to'forni a flap i6, the fourth side of which is formed by the scored line8 which separates the main :flap from the center. This scored line actsas a hinge :tor the small'tlap 16. When the device is set over a plantthese Flaps 16 can be swung upwardly to permit the air to circulatethrough the device or it the weather' is cold they can be lowered toclose the Ventilating openings.

When the fiaps 16 are swung upwardly they will act as van awning topreventlthe sun from entering the Ventilating opening. When the deviceis used as a fiower pot the flaps 16 can be closed or`they can vremainopen as desired.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages'andnovel features of my invention Will be readily apparent.

I desire itto be understood that I may make changes in the constructionand in the combination and arrangement or' the severalyparts,^providedthat such changes fall withint'he'scope of the appendedclaims.

What Iclaim is `1. A device of the class described comprising a blankcut and scored to provide a plurality of inner and outerfiaps formingwalls of double thickness, each inner-Hap being connected by `a scoredline with one of the outer flaps, a Wing on the outer end of each innerHap and means for locking the inner and Outer flaps together, such meansconsisting of a slit in the inner flap forreceiving a corner of theouter flap and a notch in the outer flap for engaging a part of theslit.

2. A receptacle of the class described coniprising a bottom, a )luralityof outer flaps connected with the ottoni by scored lines. an inner apconnected with each outer flap by a scored line, a foldable wing on theouter end of each inner flap, said inner iap having an arc-shaped slitfor receiving the corner of the outer flap and each outer ap having anotch in its outer end for engaging a part of the slit.

3. A device of the class described compris ing a receptacle composed ofa center portion and fiaps hingedly connected with the center portion,means for detachably connecting the'fiaps together, one Hap aving aVentilating openin at its junction with the center and a smaii flapadapted to close said opening or be swung outwardly to nncover theopenin In testimony w ereofI affix my signature.

ALFRED WIL'BERDI NG.

